He felt her tense against him, and he realized this was all about to go sideways if he couldn’t manage to get his foot out his mouth.
“If you’ve changed your mind about this, Jackson, you can say it.”
He saw what looked like sadness dulling her eyes and etching lines into her brow. But even when she thought she was being rejected, she never cowered. Instead, she faced it head on.
“I’ve changed my mind, but not in the way you think,” he said. She squinted up at him, trying to decipher what he meant. “I don’t want casual, Aja. Being with you tonight, doing something as mundane as having dinner in my apartment and making love to you in my bed, it feels right.”
She giggled and let her hand slide beneath the cover until she was cupping him, stirring interest anew in his sleeping cock.
“Of course it feels right. My sex is awesome.”
She said it so matter-of-factly, all he could do was give in to the happy chuckle sitting in his chest.
“I completely agree with that statement, Counselor. But that’s not what I was talking about. I want more of this, Aja. Not just the occasional date and one-off. I want to be with you.”
He could see the moment the realization of what he was saying began to seep in. She retreated out of his embrace and pulled herself against the headboard. He followed suit, needing to make sure they were on equal footing. He needed her to understand they were equals in this decision. This was about what they both wanted, not just his feelings.
“Jackson, I’m enjoying what’s happening between us. But I don’t know if I’m where you are just yet.”
He laced his fingers between hers, needing to reassure her and himself too. “I get that. I completely respect that, and I’m not asking you to declare your undying love for me. I just want you to be open to us becoming more. Can you do that? Let me prove to you I’m the only man you’ll ever need in your life.”
She dropped her eyes, letting them fall to their joined hands. He couldn’t tell from her body language what she was thinking. And if he was honest, her silence was beginning to worry him. But no matter what her decision, he promised himself he’d respect it.
“Jackson, I don’t know if I’m as certain as you we can make this work. We live ninety minutes away from each other. We’re both so busy with our jobs… How can we do this?”
“Do you want this to work?” he asked.
She looked up at him through her thick lashes. “I do.”
He scanned her face, looking for hesitancy, but he couldn’t find any. That discovery eased the tension he hadn’t even realized he was holding in his chest.
“Then if you want this to work, we will make it work. All I’m asking for is the chance. Will you give me that?”
A slow smile blossomed on her face, and the full apples of her cheeks glowed with a warm blush. “You make it hard for a girl to say no, Ranger.” She let her hand slide down his firm chest, her nails raking against his nipple and sending an instant jolt of desire straight to his dick.
He grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth for a quick kiss. “You’re avoiding the question, Counselor. But just so you know, if you keep that up, your ability to answer me won’t be the only thing that’s hard around here.”
“Promises, promises.”
“Aja?” Her playful smile tugged at his heart, and he had to fight himself to keep from pulling her beneath him right then and there. “What’s your answer?”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. On anyone else, it would’ve just been an expression of contemplation. But on her, it was a turn-on. His blood ran hot at the thought of what new way she’d find to put those luscious lips to work.
“If you want me, Ranger, I’m yours. But please understand, I’m gonna need us to take this slow.” She cupped his face, allowing her thumb to stroke the stubble of his beard, both comforting him and arousing him at the same time. “I wasn’t secretly searching for a relationship when you walked into my life, Jackson. I’ve got a lot on my plate with the ranch and Pathways. But I’d be lying if I said the idea of having you all to myself doesn’t appeal to me in an instinctive way. If you can handle us taking this painfully slow, I can agree to committing to a relationship with you.”
He wasn’t sure who leaned in first, but the moment those words crossed her lips, his mouth was pressed against hers. Aja Everett had agreed to have him. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing better in the world. And as they sank back into the mattress, he was determined to prove his gratitude and excitement with every lick, touch, and moan he could offer. Not just for her benefit, although making sure she was satisfied in bed was always a top priority for him. No, this was a reverent celebration for him, a mark of the moment his heart had finally thawed all the way through, and it was beating hard and strong for only one woman: Aja.
Chapter 35
Aja made it as far as the edge of Jackson’s bed before he tucked his strong arm around her waist, pulling her back against the solid wall of his chest. “Where are you trying to escape to? I have plans for you that don’t involve either of us getting out of this bed.”
A knowing smile spread across Aja’s lips. If they were anything like the plans he’d had for her last night, Aja was certain she’d enjoy them. “As tempting as that sounds, I have to get back to the ranch.”
Jackson raised his head, placing a quick peck on her cheek. “Because of Seneca and Brooklyn?”
“Yes, but not in the way I think you mean. They’re not on house arrest. They’re not bound to the ranch. They can come and go as they please as long as they show up for work every day.”
He wagged his eyebrows in an over-the-top lecherous way, then nuzzled the delicate skin where her neck and shoulder met. He swiped the tip of his tongue across it, making the nerves come alive. “Then stay.”
